PowerBait for rainbow trout

If you are only going to learn one bait-fishing bait for rainbow trout, PowerBait is the answer. It is the classic and most effective choice on a put-and-take lake, and it builds on a simple principle: PowerBait floats. With the right rig the bait hangs a bit above the bottom, just where the rainbow trout swims and looks for food. That is why you should never let it just lie on the bottom.

Paste or eggs

PowerBait comes in two forms that work equally well. Mouldable paste you knead around the hook and control the amount yourself, which gives you control over how large and how airy the bait becomes. Ready-made eggs you thread on quickly, practical when the takes come thick and you want back in the water fast. Bring a couple of colours, because the day’s mood shifts and a colour change is often what makes it break. Light and glittery colours are popular, but also try a natural tone if it is dead.

The ledger rig step by step

1. Thread the main line through a running weight that is free to run on the line.
2. Put a swivel (a stop) after the weight, so it does not slide all the way forward and tangle.
3. Tie in a leader of about 50–60 cm with a hook at the end.
4. Put floating PowerBait on the hook, so the bait lifts the leader up from the bottom.

The result is that the paste hangs a bit above the bottom while the weight lies still. The take shows as jerks or as the line starting to run out.

Set the right height above the bottom

The leader length decides how high the bait hangs, and it is worth experimenting with. A leader of about 50–60 cm is a good starting point, but if the fish stands higher in the water on a sunny day you may need more, and on a soft, muddy bottom you want the bait a bit up so it does not disappear in the silt. If you change the leader length by a few decimetres and it suddenly starts to take, then you know you have found the right zone.

Fish it right

Cast out, tighten the line lightly and keep watch. Rainbow trout moves around and sooner or later bumps into the hanging bait. If you fish several rods it is smart to spread them at different distances and depths until you see where the takes come, and then move them together where it is hottest. If you get takes but no fish sticks, try a slightly smaller lump of paste or a sharper hook.

Other bait-fishing baits

Boiled shrimp, sweetcorn and worm also work, but remember that natural baits are swallowed deeper and suit worse if you want to be able to release fish. The basics of bait fishing sit under bait fishing and ledgering, and more bait choices in the bait overview.